SouthernCollegeSports.com

SCS.com The SCS.com staff has spoken, and it's time to hand out honors to college basketball's elite for the 2005-2006 season. The two regular hoops beat writers as well as the SCS.com editor have voted and compiled a list of the top players from around the country. Included is a look at the All-American squads, the Freshman All-American team, and the national player, coach, and freshman of the year. Without further delay, a round of applause for the following:

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA

G Randy Foye SR Villanova

G J.J. Redick SR Duke

G/F Brandon Roy SR Washington

F Adam Morrison JR Gonzaga

C Shelden Williams SR Duke

Editor's Comments: You may not agree with the First Team selections, but the staff certainly did. All five players were unanimous choices. Morrison and Redick were the top two scorers in the country, while Roy and Foye each averaged more than 20 points and five rebounds per game. Williams scored more than 19 per outing while grabbing the second-most number of rebounds and blocking the third-most number of shots in the nation.

SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICA

G Allan Ray SR Villanova

G/F Rodney Carney SR Memphis

F Nick Fazekas JR Nevada

F Leon Powe JR California

C Glen Davis SO LSU

Editor's Comments: You might be able to out-run this team, but you sure wouldn't out-muscle them. Big men Davis, Powe, and Fazekas each average a double-double, combining to go for 60 points and 30 boards per game. At 6'7", Carney is one of most athletic players in the country and actually the best three-point shooter on this squad. And how about the "little" guy? Ray scores nearly 19 per game and can kill you from downtown or by driving to the hole.

THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICA

G Dee Brown SR Illinois

G Ronnie Brewer JR Arkansas

F P.J. Tucker JR Texas

F Rudy Gay SO Connecticut

F Craig Smith SR Boston College

Editor's Comments: This group may be the most athletic of the bunch. Brown is one of the nation's speediest point guards, while Brewer is a high-flyer who scores more than 18 per game while handing out three assists and grabbing five boards per contest. Tucker is an animal down low who nearly averaged a double-double, while Gay was the leading scorer on a team that spent much of the season ranked #1 in the country. BC's Smith averaged a near double-double of his own while shooting better than 57% from the floor.

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA

The following players also received votes from the SCS.com staff: Marcus Aldridge (Texas), Mardy Collins (Temple), Quincy Douby (Rutgers), Mike Gansey (West Virginia), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Jarrius Jackson (Texas Tech), Chris Lofton (Tennessee), Paul Millsap (Louisiana Tech), Marcus Williams (Connecticut).

FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM

G Dominic James FR Marquette

G Rodney Stuckey FR Eastern Washington

G Brandon Rush FR Kansas

F Tyrus Thomas FR LSU

F Tyler Hansbrough FR North Carolina

Editor's Comments: James was the Eagles' second-leading scorer with more than 15 points per game, and he also dished out five assists while grabbing five boards per contest. Stuckey, one of the staff's three unanimous choices, was one of the country's leading scorers, averaging more than 24 points per contest while also dishing out four assists and grabbing five rebounds each night out. Rush led the Big XII Tournament champion Jayhawks with nearly 14 points and six boards per game, while Thomas, another unanimous selection, led his Tigers into the Final Four while averaging 13 points and 9 boards per game. Hansbrough, the third and final unanimous choice, led the Heels with 19 points and 8 rebounds per contest.

HONORABLE MENTION FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA

The following players also received votes from the SCS.com staff: Jamont Gordon (Mississippi State), Shawne Williams (Memphis).

INDIVIDUAL HONORS

National Player of the Year: J.J. Redick, Duke

By a two-to-one vote, Redick was chosen as the nation's top player over Gonzaga's Adam Morrison. The Blue Devils' senior was the country's second-leading scorer, trailing only Morrison himself. Redick became the ACC's all-time leading scorer during the season and just completed one of the most prolific careers not only in that conference, but in the entire history of the game.

National Coach of the Year: Roy Williams, North Carolina

Again by a two-to-one vote, Williams was chosen as the country's top head coach. Though his team won the national title a year ago, few of those players returned for the 2005-2006 season. Four of the team's top seven scorers this year were freshmen. Those first-year players accounted for nearly 40 points and 17 rebounds per game.

National Freshman of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

The Poplar Bluff, Missouri native was a unanimous selection as the nation's top freshman. Hansbrough averaged nearly 19 points and 8 rebounds per game and led the Tar Heels to a second-place finish in the ACC and a seven-game winning streak to end the regular season.

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